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Article created by: Denis Tymulis
Maybe it's just the smell of old people and moth balls, but vintage items have a certain charm that new things will never have. Well, they might have it in 50 years, but that charm takes time to acquire. Whether it’s a hundred-year-old coffee table from a flea market or a wool sweater from the 1970s, vintage items are so special, and they help us reminisce on the “good old days”. Unfortunately, I cannot offer you a chaise longue that’s older than you to lay on or an ornate light fixture from my grandmother’s home, but I can provide you with a list of quirky photos from back in the day that might bring you a bit of joy.

We’ve gone through the Vintage Weird Facebook group and found some of our favorite images from simpler, yet possibly stranger, times to share with all of you vintage enthusiasts out there. So slip into that dress your grandmother gave you, get those Elvis tunes playing, and enjoy this list of some of peculiar blasts from the past. Below, you'll also find an interview with Lisa Barrow, one of the creators and admins of Vintage Weird, where you can hear a bit more about the background of the page, and an interview with vintage expert and creator of the blog It's Beyond My Control, Dominique de Merteuil. Be sure to upvote your favorite pics, and then if you’re interested in checking out some bizarre vintage ads, we’ve got the perfect Bored Panda piece for you to read next right here.

#1

In 1916, Sisters, Adeline And Augusta Van Buren Became The First Women To Travel Across The USA On Two Solo Motorcycles. They Made It Despite Frequently Being Arrested For Wearing Pants!!!

Two men on vintage motorcycles in a rural setting, illustrating how weird our ancestors were in historical photos.

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    #2

    1939 Schlörwagen... Built By German Engineer Hans Schlör Von Westhofen Dirmstein To Resemble The Shape Of An Airplane Wing. This Car Was More Aerodynamicaly Efficient Than Most 21th Century Cars With A Cw Value Of Just 0,15!

    Vintage photos of a man standing next to a weird futuristic car showcasing how weird our ancestors were.

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    #3

    17-Year-Old Bianca Passarge From Hamburg Dances On Wine Bottles In A Cat Costume, 1958

    Person in a cat costume balancing on glass bottles as an older man watches, showcasing weird ancestors in a vintage photo.

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    #4

    Air Conditioned Luxury Lawn Mower In The 1950's

    Black and white photo of a woman in a bubble car and a man relaxing on a lawn chair, showing weird ancestors’ inventions.

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    #5

    A Test Audience Reacting To The Chest Burster Scene In Alien, 1979

    Black and white photo of a group of people from the past showing unusual expressions, illustrating weird ancestors.

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    #6

    Late Victorian Mountaineers, Including A Fully Dressed And Corseted Lady, Cross A Crevasse In The Alps (1900)

    Three ancestors climbing a steep icy mountain using a narrow plank as a bridge, showcasing how weird our ancestors were.

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    #7

    A British Chamberpot With A Built-In Small Bust Of Napoleon Bonaparte, Ca.1803-05

    Ceramic chamber pot with painted floral designs and a small, unusual figurine of a man inside, showcasing weird ancestors.

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    #8

    Department Store Wax Mannequins Melting During A Heatwave In 1929. (Via Alex Eccleston)

    Two vintage mannequins with unusual poses showing weird ancestors' odd display styles in black and white.

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    #9

    From Circa 1975, An Ad For Men's Business Attire. With Western Canada Breaking Temperature Records All Over The Place, This Might Not Be A Bad Idea

    Two men modeling fashion shorts, short-sleeve shirts, and ties, showcasing how weird our ancestors were in vintage style.

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    #10

    The Unbroken Seal On King Tutankhamun's Tomb, Which Stayed 3,245 Years Untouched Until The Excavation In 1922

    Ancient door handle wrapped with rope and stone carving, showcasing how weird our ancestors were in historical artifacts.

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    #11

    Up Until 1948, 7up Put Lithium In Their Soda. For Those Unaware, That Is A Mood Stabilizer And It Is Very Much Still In Use Today

    Vintage 7-Up lithia lemon soda ad, highlighting weird ancestors’ odd remedies and unusual product claims.

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    #12

    Martin Claus 1892-1975

    Woman reading in chair with creepy ancestral spirits and strange hands reaching out, showcasing how weird our ancestors were.

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    #13

    A Disguised Secret Witness Testifies In A Courtroom On A Drug Case. Washington, 30 April 1952

    Black and white photo of a courtroom with a person wearing a ghost-like sheet, illustrating how weird ancestors were.

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    LostThought
    Community Member
    8 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think I know a ghost when I see one...

    #14

    Ford Unsuccessfully Tried To Reinvent The (Steering) Wheel

    Vintage black and white photo of a woman driving with an unusual steering wheel, showcasing weird ancestors' behaviors.

    Ford Unsuccessfully Tried To Reinvent The (Steering) Wheel By Replacing With A Pair Of Twisty Dials In The 1960s. Ford Pr Geared It Towards Those “Non-Technical” People That Are Commonly Referred To As Women, Who Are Apparently Hopeless At Parallel Parking. In All Their Cockiness Though, Ford Were Apparently Oblivious To The Fact That The System Was No Easier Or Better Than A Standard Steering Wheel Anyway!

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    #15

    A Lady’s Compact From The 1920’s

    A vintage metal gun-shaped case with compartments, showcasing how weird our ancestors were through unusual artifacts.

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    #16

    The Motormat Drive-In,invented By Kenneth C.purdy,where The Food Tray Was Sent Out On Rails (1948) Los Angeles

    Vintage drive-in restaurant with mid-20th century cars parked and carhops serving food, showcasing how weird ancestors were.

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    #17

    A Couple Gets Into Their Bmw Isetta, Through The Front Door, 1950

    Vintage black and white photo showing how weird our ancestors were with an unusual small car and people in raincoats.

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    #18

    Luna Park, Melbourne. Google It. The Place Was (And Is) Amazing

    Entrance to a vintage amusement park with a giant face facade, showcasing how weird our ancestors were in historic photos.

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    #19

    Im Henson Helping An Old Lady ( Aughra) Cross The Street In 1982. "Aughra Is A Major Character From Jim Henson's 1982 Film The Dark Crystal And The Deuteragonist Of The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance Prequel Series. She Was Performed By Puppeteer Frank Oz, With The Late Billie Whitelaw Providing Her Voice. In The 2019 Prequel Age Of Resistance, She Is Performed By Kevin Clash And Voiced By Donna Kimball. "

    Man in suit standing next to a strange horned creature on a street, highlighting how weird our ancestors were.

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    #20

    Ge Walking Truck, 1969

    Vintage mechanical walking robot prototype with operator inside, showcasing how weird our ancestors were in engineering designs.

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    #21

    Giant Studebaker. World's Largest Vehicle Under Construction. Chicago, 1934

    Women cleaning a giant vintage car model with scaffolding, showcasing how weird our ancestors were with unusual tasks.

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    #22

    It’s True It These Weird Trousers Were The Mad Rage In The 1920’s

    Two men wearing vintage baggy pants and hats walking on a city sidewalk, showcasing how weird our ancestors were.

    It’s True It These Weird Trousers Were The Mad Rage In The 1920’s. 2 British Men Who Are Cambridge University Undergraduates Photographed There Wearing “Plus 10’s”. 1926. — Plus 10’s Are Variation On The Plus 4 Golfing Knickers. The Number Increases For How Many Inches Below The Knee The Fabric Hung. These Pants Became A Huge Look For Fashion Forward Pioneered By The Prince Of Wales , Film Stars And Was Espoused Mainly By Elite University Students And Spread. “Plus Fours” Came In Tweed Wool, Linen, Corduroy, And Flannel. They Were Worn With Sweaters , Jacket And Tie, Dress Shirts And Were Also Worn By Daring Females Or Children. Jaunty Hats Were The Norm To Complete The Look

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    Michael
    Community Member
    8 months ago

    This comment has been deleted.

    #23

    #8 Freckle Removal. A Complicated Apparatus Is Employed. Eyes Are Covered With A Special, Air-Tight Piece, And The Nostrils Filled In. Breathing Is Done Through A Special Tube. Sensitive Parts Of The Face Must Be Treated Separately, 1930

    Black and white photo showing a strange contraption on a person's head, illustrating how weird our ancestors were.

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    #24

    The Berlin Gold Hat (German: Berliner Goldhut) Is A Late Bronze Age Artefact Made Of Thin Gold Leaf. It Served As The External Covering On A Long Conical Brimmed Headdress, Probably Of An Organic Material. It Is Now In The Neues Museum On Museum Island In Berlin. The Berlin Gold Hat Is The Best Preserved Specimen Among The Four Known Conical Golden Hats From Bronze Age Europe So Far. Of The Three Others, Two Were Found In Southern Germany, And One In The West Of France. (...) It Is Generally Assumed That The Hats Served As The Insignia Of Deities Or Priests In The Context Of A Sun Cult That Appears To Have Been Widespread In Central Europe At The Time. The Hats Are Also Suggested To Have Served Astronomical/Calendrical Functions

    Tall ancient gold cone with intricate patterns, showcasing weird artifacts from ancestors on an online page.

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    #25

    Frank Zappa In The Background. Ringo Starr, Playing Frank Zappa, In The Foreground. From The Movie “200 Motels” (1971) Written And Directed By Frank Zappa And Tony Palmer

    Two men in 1970s style clothing with long hair and mustaches, illustrating how weird our ancestors were.

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    #26

    Back In 1956, Magician Robert Harbin Demonstrated One Of His Levitation Tricks On A Few Beachgoers. These Women Looked Pretty Impressed And At Ease, Especially The Woman ‘Levitating’ Over Rocks. This Is Definitely Not Something You Would See At Beaches Today

    Black and white photo showing weird ancestors with a man appearing to levitate a woman while another woman watches amazed.

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    #27

    Pablo Picasso As Popeye. 1957. Photo By André Villers

    Man in vintage setting wearing captain's hat and glasses, holding an object, showcasing how weird our ancestors were.

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    #28

    Beauty Treatment For Women: 1941 The Glamour Bonnet Went Over A Woman's Head, And The Attached Hose Was Supposed To Create Low Atmospheric Pressure Like A Vacuum To Improve Skin Complexion

    Black and white photo showing a vintage weird ancestor medical device with a woman wearing a protective hood and another woman assisting.

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    #29

    Je Règle Mon Pas Sur Le Pas De Mon Père Friedrich Seidenstücker : In His Father’s Trousers, C. 1950

    Black and white photo of a child wearing oversized pants to showcase how weird our ancestors were in old photos.

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    #30

    Philippe Halsman, The Versatile Jean Cocteau, 1949

    Black and white photo displaying the weird behavior of ancestors with multiple hands holding various objects around a man.

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